Page 27 of Lexi, Property of Rhyder

Pepe came over to take more orders but always kept his eyes on Paige. Something tells me she’s going to experience her first summer love here.

When he finished for the day, he walked up to Paige and asked her if she’d like to go to a party tonight. I told her I was beat, and that no matter what, she wasn’t going alone, so she promised him another night.

“You’re such a party pooper,” Paige says as we make our way back to our villa. We had promised to be showered and dressed by six to meet our parents in the restaurant.

“I could have gone on my own, you know.”

I unlock our door then head inside our villa. Once I shut it, I explain, “Paige, you’re not going anywhere by yourself. You hardly know the guy, and you can’t just take off with some stranger.”

“Please… coming from you.”

Panic runs through me wondering what Paige has heard—does she know something about what happened to me.

“Hey, what do you mean, coming from me?”

“I mean, what about that Rhyder guy?”

I lighten up. “Come on, Paige, you know nothing about him.”

“Yeah, exactly, yet you said he’s been watching out for you. What the hell is that?”

I turn around. “I’m not talking about him with you. Just trust me, okay?”

Paige must hear me sniffle because her voice comes out low when she says, “Okay, Lex.”

I quickly wipe my tears and face her. “I’m sorry, I know you think it’s unfair, but trust me, I am only looking out for you. If you want to go somewhere, then we go together.” I step forward and place my hands on her shoulders, noticing how young she looks. Before this happened to me, I would have jumped at the chance to go to a party in Mexico with a guy who I thought was cute.

How naïve I was to think that nothing could ever happen to me.

“Promise me, Paige. Promise me you won’t go anywhere with him on your own?”

She frowns. “Okay, Lex, I promise.”

“Good. Now, let’s go change. Mom and Dad will be waiting for us.”

RHYDER

The Blood Brothers stand back as Tate and his boys talk business with the Rattlesnakes.

“Brought the big guns, I see,” Big Pete says to Tate, his eyes watching us intently.

Tate looks behind at us and then back to Big Pete. “Yeah, don’t worry about them, let’s just get this conversation done. I told you we’re out, and you still won’t fuckin’ take no for an answer. I’ve come here out of respect for our past business transactions and in hopes that you let us sit this one out and get our firearms from someone else.”

“Come on, man, we go back… don’t cut us out now.”

I watch on as Tate continues this conversation. He wants out of the business with the Rattlesnakes, and it doesn’t look like they’re going to let it happen easily.

We stand back and now and then I turn to Quill, his eyes glued to the gang in front of us. We were told to leave our guns at the front of the warehouse, but they didn’t frisk us which is good because I have one strapped to my leg, and I know the other brothers are the same. We never come unprepared.

Big Pete’s right-hand man collects a large duffel bag from behind him, then zips it open and throws it at Tate’s feet. By the rattling coming from it, I assume it’s guns.

“Looks like it’s too late. We already got the shipment right here tonight. What you gonna do, Tate? You gonna dismiss the guns like you did us?”

Big Pete smiles, and his gold tooth shines with the light above.

I glance over at Prez, who’s now stepping a little closer just in behind Tate.

If shit goes down, I’m ready.

---